Banned Index
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The Bluest Eye

by Toni Morrison

ISBN: 9781646931712

Genres

Literary FictionClassic Literature
Author self-identifies as: person of colorsource ↗About these classifications →

Banned or challenged 14 times across 14 jurisdictions.

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Related Laws

This book has been banned or challenged under these laws.

⚠ Challenger signal

Also flagged by 5 challenger groups

These groups have publicly targeted this book for removal. This is NOT a confirmed ban — it’s a signal that the book is on one or more challenger lists, which often precedes formal challenges in specific districts. See methodology for how we distinguish targeting from enforcement.

Timeline

Unified view of laws affecting this book and jurisdictions where it’s been removed or challenged, in chronological order.

14 law events11 ban events
  1. 22

    Mar 22, 2022

    LawFlorida H 1467

    Signed by Officers and presented to Governor

  2. 22

    Mar 25, 2022

    LawFlorida H 1467

    Approved by Governor

  3. 23

    May 3, 2023

    LawFlorida H 1069

    Ordered enrolled

  4. 23

    May 16, 2023

    LawFlorida H 1069

    Signed by Officers and presented to Governor

    Bantemporarily removed

    Escambia County School District, FL

    Restricted under Florida HB 1069 / HB 1467 by Escambia County School Board.

  5. 23

    May 17, 2023

    LawFlorida H 1069

    Approved by Governor

  6. 23

    Jun 13, 2023

    LawTexas HB 900

    Signed by the Governor

  7. 23

    Jun 30, 2023

    Banremoved

    Martin County School District, FL

    Removed per FL Stat. 1006.28(2) — reported in the FL DoE 2022-2023 statewide report.

    Banremoved

    Clay County School District, FL

    Removed per FL Stat. 1006.28(2) — reported in the FL DoE 2022-2023 statewide report.

  8. 24

    Apr 23, 2024

    LawTennessee HB 0843

    Signed by Governor.

  9. 24

    May 1, 2024

    LawTennessee HB 0843

    Effective date(s) 07/01/2024

  10. 24

    Jun 30, 2024

    Banremoved

    Marion County School District, FL

    Removed per FL Stat. 1006.28(2) — reported in the FL DoE 2023-2024 statewide report.

    Banremoved

    Indian River County School District, FL

    Removed per FL Stat. 1006.28(2) — reported in the FL DoE 2023-2024 statewide report.

    Banremoved

    Volusia County School District, FL

    Removed per FL Stat. 1006.28(2) — reported in the FL DoE 2023-2024 statewide report.

  11. 24

    Aug 1, 2024

    Banremoved

    Katy ISD, TX

    Removed from Katy Independent School District libraries under TX HB 900.

  12. 24

    Aug 14, 2024

    Banreinstated

    Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District, AK

    Returned to library shelves per Judge Sharon Gleason's August 7, 2024 preliminary injunction order (to be completed by 2024-08-14). The November 4, 2024 settlement confirmed this return + a $89,000 payment to plaintiffs, with 7 of the original 56 titles staying permanently off district library shelves.

  13. 24

    Oct 24, 2024

    Banremoved

    Wilson County Schools, TN

    Removed from Wilson County School District libraries under TN HB 843.

    Banremoved

    Wilson County Schools, TN

    Pulled from Wilson County Schools libraries in October 2024 to comply with Tennessee HB 843.

  14. 25

    May 6, 2025

    LawTexas SB 13

    SB 13 heads to House floor. Texas Freedom Network hosts Read-In protest inside Texas Capitol chamber steps, with students, educators, parents, bookstore owners opposing the bill.

  15. 25

    May 31, 2025

    LawTexas SB 13

    Gov. Greg Abbott signs SB 13 into law. Establishes school library advisory councils (majority parents), requires removal of "profane," "indecent," or "sexually explicit" content.

  16. 25

    Jun 20, 2025

    LawTexas SB 13

    Signed by the Governor

  17. 25

    Aug 13, 2025

    LawFlorida H 1069

    Federal Judge Carlos Mendoza (U.S. Middle District of FL) rules in Penguin Random House v. Gibson that HB 1069 provision targeting "descriptions of sexual conduct" is unconstitutionally overbroad. Named 23 books and stated "none of these books are obscene." The mandate to remove books with even a single reference to prohibited subject matter violates students' First Amendment right of free access to ideas. Parts requiring a process for challenging books were NOT struck down.

  18. 25

    Sep 1, 2025

    LawTexas SB 13

    SB 13 takes effect for 2025-2026 school year. New Braunfels ISD begins removing 1,540+ books under the law.

  19. 25

    Nov 17, 2025

    Banchallenged

    Abilene ISD, TX

    Challenged at SLAC meeting on Nov 17, 2025. Board of Trustees voted 5-1 on Jan 8, 2026 to retain. Petition for review filed with TX Commissioner of Education Feb 23, 2026.

  20. 26

    Apr 8, 2026

    LawFlorida H 1069

    Jacksonville group proposed banning three books from Duval County Public Schools, citing violation of state law regarding sexual content

Platform availability

11 platforms tracked

Availability at online retailers and library platforms, refreshed by our daily scanner. “Pending review” means the scanner saw the title unavailable but a human hasn’t confirmed whether it’s a stockout or a real removal.

All ban records (14)

Volusia County School District, FL

school · school district

RemovedThe book has been formally removed from the library or curriculum.

Removed per Florida Statute 1006.28(2) following parent/resident objections during the 2023-2024 school year.

Reported Jun 30, 2024

Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District, AK

school · school district

ReinstatedThe book was previously removed but has been returned to shelves.

Challenged by school board; reviewed per court order in Case 3:23-cv-00265-SLG

Escambia County School District, FL

school · school district

Temporarily RemovedThe book has been pulled from shelves pending a formal review.

Restricted from Escambia County school libraries pending review under Florida HB 1467 / HB 1069 instructional materials policies. Cited in PEN America v. Escambia County School District (filed May 16, 2023) as part of a pattern of restrictions disproportionately affecting books with LGBTQ+, Black, Brown, and Indigenous authors and stories.

Reported May 16, 2023

Abilene ISD, TX

school · school district

ChallengedA formal challenge has been filed requesting the book's removal.

Challenged as 'indecent content' and 'profane content' under TEC §33.020 (as amended by SB 13, 89th Legislature).

Reported Feb 23, 2026

Clay County School District, FL

school · school district

RemovedThe book has been formally removed from the library or curriculum.

Removed per Florida Statute 1006.28(2) following parent/resident objections during the 2022-2023 school year.

Reported Jun 30, 2023

Elizabeth School District, CO

school · school district

ChallengedA formal challenge has been filed requesting the book's removal.

On sensitive topic catalog. Flagged for: Graphic Violence

Reported Aug 12, 2024

Fort Worth ISD, TX

school · school district

Under ConsiderationA board or committee is actively reviewing whether to remove this book.

Under review by committee of master-certified librarians per FWISD book review process.

Reported Aug 28, 2023

Indian River County School District, FL

school · school district

RemovedThe book has been formally removed from the library or curriculum.

Removed per Florida Statute 1006.28(2) following parent/resident objections during the 2023-2024 school year.

Reported Jun 30, 2024

Katy ISD, TX

school · school district

RemovedThe book has been formally removed from the library or curriculum.

Removed from Katy ISD libraries to comply with Texas HB 900 (READER Act, 2023), which requires book vendors to assign content ratings to library materials and prohibits 'sexually explicit' content in school libraries. Some sections of HB 900 were partially struck down by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Reported Aug 1, 2024

Keller ISD, TX

school · school district

RemovedThe book has been formally removed from the library or curriculum.

Removed under Keller ISD EFB policy review. Board overruled their own review committee decisions.

Reported Aug 16, 2022

Marion County School District, FL

school · school district

RemovedThe book has been formally removed from the library or curriculum.

Removed per Florida Statute 1006.28(2) following parent/resident objections during the 2023-2024 school year.

Reported Jun 30, 2024

Martin County School District, FL

school · school district

RemovedThe book has been formally removed from the library or curriculum.

Removed per Florida Statute 1006.28(2) following parent/resident objections during the 2022-2023 school year.

Reported Jun 30, 2023

New Braunfels ISD, TX

school · school district

RemovedThe book has been formally removed from the library or curriculum.

SB 13 non-compliant

Reported Jan 1, 2026

Wilson County Schools, TN

school · school district

RemovedThe book has been formally removed from the library or curriculum.

Removed in October 2024 to comply with Tennessee HB 843 (2024 amendment to the Age-Appropriate Materials Act).

Reported Oct 24, 2024